Family, friends and music lovers all chatted as they anticipated the SRJC Spring Choral Concert “Endless Song Eternal Light.” The lights dimmed and heavenly voices filled the air as they sang the first song “Creation”.
Despite the fact that you didn’t have to buy a ticket because no one was taking them and they started late, the SRJC choral members did an outstanding job as they sang classical songs and were accompanied by Santa Rosa Chamber Orchestra.
The concert featured songs such as “Sing to Me Heaven” and “How can I keep from Singing” which was accompanied by a pianist. In both songs, the three part harmonies all blended together with different voice parts adding a fun flair to the songs and then coming together in. The songs were light and fun leaving every face smiling and in awe.
The song Verano Porteno was a fun echo of tango-style music as they mimicked instruments. I closed my eyes to listen to the song, and I was able to picture dancers dancing the tango to their voices. That song truly showed the power of voices.
They sang two Swedish songs, “Som stjarnorna pa himmelen” and “Varvindar friska,” inspired by the Swedish exchange students. Translators explained the lyrics to the audience before the choir sang which helped the audience engage and understand the true meaning of the songs. Despite the some phone interruption, the choir did a beautiful job portraying the somber and happy spirits that related to each song.
The Santa Rosa Chamber Orchestra was also quite the treat. The violins, flutes, oboes, violas, clarinets, cellos, bassoons, French horns, timpani, string bass and trombone complimented each other well, sounding nearly studio perfect.
The last song “Lux Aeterna” was a beautiful combination of choral and orchestra. The first couple of verses had the audience interested but the song soon dragged on. Other than the extremely long ending, the concert was a great time of entertaining music.
Jody Benecke • May 18, 2012 at 11:06 am
We are very pleased to have been reviewed by the Oakleaf! 🙂 The centerpiece of this concert “Endless Song-Eternal Light” was Morten Lauridsen’s world-renowned major work “Lux Aeterna” (Eternal Light). The SRJC Concert Choir and Chamber Singers, together with the Santa Rosa Chamber Orchestra performed this 5-movement requiem as the crowning selection for the evening’s program. This moving and contemplative work is full of beauty and pathos as it explores the promise of light growing out of the darkness. The students who performed this piece were able to work personally on it with Dr. Lauridsen at the Music Association of California Community Colleges conference in San Francisco last November. This direct knowledge of the composer’s intention infused the performance with a passion and vibrancy that was unmistakably moving for not only the listeners in the audience but the musicians who participated in performing it. We are deeply proud to have been able to bring forth this profound work as the culmination of a full academic year’s work and share the full scope of its beauty with the SRJC community. We are intensely proud of our accomplishment and we thank the Oakleaf for having been present.
Jody Benecke, Director of the SRJC Vocal Program